Skipper urges clinical Harrogate CC

Ed White

Harrogate CC must stay clinical in their pursuit for Yorkshire League glory, insists skipper Ryan Bradshaw.

‘Gate took maximum points over the Bank Holiday weekend and remain two points behind rivals York with a game in hand.

Bradshaw’s men beat Sheffield Collegiate by 31 runs at home on Saturday before they overcame Doncaster Town by 44 runs on Monday.

Sheffield United visit St George’s Road this Saturday and Bradshaw wants a repeat performance of their cup victory against them two weeks ago. Harrogate assembled a changed side on that occasion and the skipper reckons his full strength side will offer too much power.

“We sent our second team down there and they beat them convincingly,” he said.

“Now we are going full strangth on Saturday and we need to be ruthless,” he said.

Junior Ashley Griffin was the hero of the weekend after he snaffled nine wickets, including a first Yorkshire League five for (5-39) against Town.

Bradshaw chose to bat first against Collegiate and Calum How (39) and Alexis Twigg (20) shared 64 for the first wicket.

But the Sheffield side fought back and struck four times for two runs before Andy Hawkswell steadied the innings with a patient 63 not out.

‘Gate were bowled out for 212 from 53.4 overs before Griffin’s 4-42 and Vic Craven’s 3-24 dismissed the away side for 181.

Craven bounced back from a duck on Saturday to hit 69 on Monday as ‘Gate posted 206-9.

Spinner George Ross benefited from helpful conditions to take 4-46 before Griffin sliced through the order with 5-39, bowling Town out for 162.

Bradshaw added: “Ashley bowled superbly. His second spell was unreal.

“I’m really proud of him. During the winter we employed Andy Rowsell to work with our bowlers. He spent a lot of time with him and it’s paid off. I thought we were 70 runs short on both days. But we didn’t drop a point and gained 16. We had a great determined effort. We have to be like that against all the teams.”